Emergency release bar



Feb. 20, 1962 F, J, RUSSELL ET AL 3,022,102

EMERGENCY RELEASE BAR Filed June 29, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FRED JRUSSELL FkA/vz J /VETSCHERT INVENToRs.

ATTORNEYS.

F. J. RUSSELL ETAL 3,022,102

EMERGENCY RELEASE BAR Feb. 20, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 29, 1959f \-n n il] 'Wu /g L7! FRED J RUSSELL l FRANZ J. NETSCHERT JNVENToRs.

ATTORNEYS.

Feb. 20, 1962 F. J. RUSSELL Erm.

EMERGENCY RELEASE EAR 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 29, 1959 S. R m m W.

ATTORNEYS.

United States Patentfee 3,922,192 Patented Feb. 20, 1962 3,022,102EMERGENCY RELEASE BAR Fred J. Russell, 3800 Don Felipe Drive, LosAngeles, Calif., and Franz J. Netschert, Glendale, Calif.; saidNetschert assigner to said Russell Filed June 29, 1959, Ser. No. 823,4474 Claim. (Cl. 292-169) The invention relates to door locks and hasparticular reference to a lock commonly identied as al privacy lockwhich can be barred from the inside by use of a button from access byoperation of the outer knob but which includes an emergency releaseaccessible from the outside by means other than a conventional key. Thelocks in question are commonly made use of on bathroom doors, bedroomdoors, and similar locations where it is undesirable to employ the usualkey locks for security purposes.

In the past locks of this general description which have had the privacylock feature and emergency release have necessitatedn the employment ofsome specialV instrument to fit the emergency release in order to unlockthe door from the outside. The necessity for such a special instrumentis comparable to the necessity of having'a key to the extent that in anemergency the special instrument has to be found before it can be usedand where use is infrequent, the instrument is quite likely to bemisplaced. Also on locks of this kind previously employed, althoughrecognizing the possibility of having the door slam shut andinadvertently locked, it has been sought to provide against thispossibility by special features designed and built into the lock by useof additional parts rather than a rearrangement of the ordinarynecessary parts of the lock to preclude such inadvertent locking.

It is therefore among the objects of the invention to provide a new andimproved door lock provided with a privacy lock and an emergency releasetherefor which can be'` manipulated in an axial direction through theouter knob assembly by use of any one of a variety of simple agenciessuch as a nail, piece of wire, or simple instrument, any one yor more ofwhich are invariably handy.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved doorlock with privacy latching features and emergency release which is soconstructed that should the door blow shut, the very act of depressingthe latch bolt when the door slams shut is sufficient to preclude thelocking feature from operating.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a new and improvedprivacy lock set equipped with an emergency release operating throughthe spindle areas which is sutciently simple in its design andconstruction to minimize the number of parts required and to preservethe necessary simplicity of construction and operation, thereby toassure long life for the lock set.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in theconstruction, arrangement andncombination of the various parts of thedevice, whereby the ob jects contemplated are attained, as hereinafterset forth, pointed out in theappended claims and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through a lock set showing theprivacy lock mechanism in locked position.

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 2,-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal sectional view similar to FIGURE 1 showingthe release bar being moved to release position.

FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal sectional view similar to FIGURE l showingthe entire mechanism in released position.

FIGURE 5 is an exploded View of interior operating parts which controlthe locking and unlocking operation.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on the line 6-6 ofFIGURE 1.

In an embodiment of the invention chosen for the purpose of illustrationthere is shown installed in a door 10 a lock set having the features ofthe invention. The lock set comprises usual essential elements includingan inner knob assembly 11, an outer knob assembly 12 and a latch boltassembly 13 operatively connected to the knob assemblies by employmentof a retractor assembly 14. The general arrangement of the knobassemblies with the retractor assembly and latch'bolt assembly arefurther illustrated in 4co-pending application Serial No. 796,321, tiledMarch 2, 1959, and Serial No. 796,612, led March 2, 1959, now Patent No.2,959,439 dated November 8, 1960.

It will be noted that a tail piece 15 of the latch bolt assembly engageswith projections 16 and 16' of the retractor assembly so that as theretractor is moved from left to right, as viewed in FIGURE 2, under theimpetus of rotation of the knob assemblies, a latch bolt 17 ismanipulated. Pins 18 mounted in recesses 19 of a body 20 of theretractor assembly are manipulated by the knob assemblies to shift theretractor assembly in a transverse direction. v

The body 20 is contained within a chamber 21 of a l frame 22 which lieswithin a cylindrical housing 23. The

cylindrical housing in turn is attached to projections 24 which formpart of the latch bolt assembly 13, thereby to mount those two elementsin operating relationship.

The inner knob assembly 11 includes a tubular spindle 25 which isrotatably mounted within a tubular extension 26 of the housing. A knob27 containing a hollow tubular sleeve 28 is mounted upon the outer endof the spindle 25 and retained thereon by an appropriate pin 29.

Within a cylindrical chamber 30 in the outer end of the spindleZS is acylindrical jacket 31 having a bottom wall 32 therein with a relativelylarge opening 33 extending through the bottom. `In the wall of thejacket is an open end slot 34 joined to a closed end slot 35 by atransverse slot 36.

Fitting within the jacket 31 is a core piece 37 having side elements 38and 38 and also having a bottom 39 with a rectangular opening 40extending therethrough. A projection 41 extends outwardly from one sideof the bottom and is adapted to slide through the open end slot 34,thence laterally through the transverse slot 36 into the closed end slot35 where it is adapted to recipro cate in an endwise direction. A hollowbutton 42 ts over the outer end of the core piece 37. A spring 43 ismounted between the inside of the bottom 32 of the jacket and the outerface of the bottom 39 of the core piece 37, this being a compressionspring tending to move the core piece outwardly relative to the jacket.

Within the outer knob assembly 12 is a spindle which is rotatablymounted in a tubular extension 47 which forms part of the frame 22. Onthe outer end of the spindle 46 is a knob 48 having a sleeve 49 therein,the sleeve being in engagement with the outer end of the spindle andwith the knob held thereon by an appropriate pin 50. l

A dogging assembly 51 is slidably mounted within the interior ofa'chamber 52 in the spindle 46. The dogging assembly includes a body 53having pins 54 and 54 projecting therefrom into slots 55, 55' in thewall of the spindle 46. A spring 56 located between the pin 50 and theouter end of the body 53 tends to normally urge the body in a directionfrom right to left, as viewed in FIGURE 1. At the opposite end of thebody is a dogging element 57 having an extension 58 thereon receivablein a recess 59 in the tubular extension 47, the tu- Vouter knob assemblyagainst rotation.

Vleft lto right, as viewed in FIGURE` l.V

Roll-back elements 69 outhe spindle 25 and 61 on the spindle 46 areadapted to be rotated into engagement,

with the pins 18 previously identied in order to manipulate Vthe latchbolt.

A pair of parallelbars 65 and 66 lie adjacent each other and extend fromthe interior of the jacket 31 through the spindle 25 and the frame 22into the leftmost end of the spindle 46. The bars are of differentlength, the bar 65 being slightly longer than the bar 66.

The bar 65 has an extension 67 thereon extending beyond an extension 68on the bar 66, the extension 67 having a projection 69 overlying Vtheoutermost end of the extension 68. The two extensions 67 and 68 extendthrough the openingY 33 into the interior of the jacket 31.

- the interior of the button 42.

At the opposite end of the bar 66 is a pair of rectangular notches 73and 73 spaced insuch relationship that they receive side plates 74 of alatching member or latching slide indicated generally bythe referencecharacter'75. Guide plates 76, 76 form the other two sides of thelatching member. This member is normally springy urged by means of aspring 77 .which bottoms uponthe Both extensions 67 and 68 protrudethrough the rectangular opening 4G in the bottom 39 of the core piece,

Y moved toward the rightso that cam faces 90 and 91 in the notches 82,82 act against the side plates 74 and shift the side plates out ofengagement with the notches 73, 73. It Will be understood that the bar65 is free to move endwise against .the disc 71Vand pressure of spring72, thereby collapsing the spring 72 without it being necessary for thebar 66-to move at all during the beginning of the releasing operation.

After the latching member has been vshifted to initial position, asshown in. FIGURESV 3 and 4, the bar 66 can then move. Movement will lbeeffected Iby action of the spring 56 which will push the Ibar 66 from,right to left housing 23 and tends normally to urge the latchinglmember into the frame or infa direction from right to left,'as viewed inFIGURE 2. Heavier springs 78 acting in the same direction urge the body29 of the retractor assembly in the same direction. y

When the lock is to be set in locked position from the inside, thebutton 42 is pressed inwardly from the `position of VFIGURE 4 totheposition of FIGURE l. During thisV movement the bar 66 is moved to aposition Vwherein the notches 73, 73 align themselves with the sideplates 74 and the side plates` are-pushed into the notches byV action oftheV spring 77. end element 79 of the bar 66 presses endwise against theclogging element 57 and shifts the extension-5S thereon into the recess59. The extension in this position, inasmuch as it at the same .timelies within a slot S1 in the spindle 46, locks the outerspindie 46 andappropriate Hence, the door cannot be opened from the outside. Y

It will be understood that when the button 42 is depressed, it pressesagainst the core piece 37 and because the corre piece is interlockedwith the bar 66, the bar is moved byV axial motion of the core piece. Atthe same time the disc 71 under compressive pressure of Vthe spring 72is moved'by virtue of movement-of the button 42 against the projection69 and extension 67V of the bar.

65, thereby also moving the barr65 in a direction from The bar 65 ismoved until notches 82, 82 also fall in alignment with the side plates74 and the notches 73,773. Hence, since both bars areV moved-together,there is no impediment tothe shifting 'of the latching member 75 to aposition where Vthe side plates enter both setsV of notches.

Ancud element 83 on the bar 65 extends into a bore 84 within the body'53of the dogging assembly. A shoulderr85 limits motion of the bar 65 in adirection from Yleft to right, as viewed in FIGURE 1. When Vit isdesired to release the setting just described,

During this movement an and at the same time move vthe Vextension 5K8 ofthe dogging element 57 out of the recess 59 to the position illustratedin FIGURE 4. In this position the outer knob assembly is free to rotateand hence manipulate the latch bolt 17.

Should the lock be in a locked position` as viewed in FIGURE 1, whilethe door 10 is open, the mechanism is released when the ydoor closes byreciprocation of the latch bolt 17 This occurs because the tail piece 15moves endwise against the guide plates 76, 76of the latching member, asviewed in FIGURE 2, and thereby shift the latch member to a positionsuch that the side plates 74 are disengaged from theV notches 73, 73'.The same mechanism also serves as a precaution against inadvertentlocking of the mechanism should they door inadvertently slam shut forany reason. v Y

It will be appreciated from the foregoing description of the mechanismhere involved and the operation thereof that unlatching can be smoothlyand easily accomplished by shifting Vthe relatively Asimple latchingparts vin an axial or endwise directionjby virtually any instrument, thecross-section of which is no greater tha-n a small nail small enough tobe'inserted through the access hole 87. The parts, moreover, are Vofsuch simple design Vand assembly that they operate smoothly throughoutalimited ingly is one not only easily fabricated and assembled but alsoone which Will continue to operate successfully over extended periods oftime.

While the invention has herein been shown and described in what isconceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it isVrecognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope ofthe Vinvention, which is notl to-be limited to the details disclosedherein but is to be accorded the full scope of Ithe claims so as toembrace any and all equivalent devices.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new and desire tosecure Letters Patent is:

1,'In a door look having a stationary portion for mounting in a doo-niareciprocating latchbolt assembly, a retractor in operable engagementwith the Iatchgbolt assembly, and an inner and an outer knob assemblyfor independently actuating the retractor, the combination of a cloggingmember carried by the outer knob assembly and having an axially-slidablemounting relative to said stationary portion between a doggingengagement with said stationary portion and a released-position,` aspring return means acti-ng against the dogging member',; a latchingslide havingpa -slidablev mounting relative to said retractor, a rst barhaving a longitudinally reciprocating mounting in said inner knobassembly'andextending from said inner knob assembly through saidretractor and in axial engagement with said cloggingV member, a secondbar parallel to said -lrstbar having Va longitudinally reciprocatingmounting in said inner knob assembly and extend- Y ing from said innerknob assembly through said retractor,

of said slide when said rst bar is moved with said dogging member intodogging position, release cam means associated with the second bar, arelease shaft having a longitudinally slidable mounting in said outerknob assembly and in endwise engagement With said second bar, meansforming an access hole in said outer knob assembly, said release shaftbeing movable axially with said second bar and the cam means thereon tomove said latching slide out of engagement with said :latching notchesin said iirst bar.

2. In a door lock having a stationary portion for mounting in a door areciprocating latch bolt assembly, a retractor in operable engagementwith the latch bolt assembly, and an inner and an outer knob assemblyfor independently actuating the retractor, the combination of a doggingmember having an axially slidable mounting in the outer knob assemblybetween a dogging engagement with said stationary portion and a releasedposition, a spring return means acting against the dogging member, alatching slide having a transversely slidable mounting relative to saidretractor, a tirst bar having a longitudinally reciprocatable mountingin said inner knob assembly and extending from said inner knob assemblythrough said retractor into said dogging member and in axial engagementwith said dogging member, a second bar parallel to said iirst bar havinga longitudinally reciprocatable mounting in said inner knob assembly andextending from said inner knob assembly through said retractor into saiddogging member, said bars being rotatable with respect to said doggingmember means forming latching notches respectively in said first bar andsaid second bar receptive of said slide when said bars are moved withsaid dogging member into dogging position, said second bar being movablelongitudinally independently of said first bar, release ca m meansassociated with the notches in said second bar, a release shaft slidablymounted in said outer knob assembly and in endwise engagement with Isaidsecond bar, means forming an access hole in said outer knob assembly,said release shaft being movable axially with said second bar and thecam means thereon to move said latching slide out of engagement withsaid latching notches in said first bar.

3. In a door lock having a stationary portion for mounting in a door, areciprocating latch bolt assembly, a retractor in operable engagementwith the latch bolt assembly, and an inner and an outer knob assemblyfor independently actuating the retractor, the combination of a doggingmember having an axially slidable mounting in the outer knob assemblybetween a dogging engagement with said stationary portion and a releasedposition, a spring return means between said outer knob assembly and thedogging member, a latching slide having a transversely slidable mountingin said retractor normally spring pressed into engagement with saidretractor, a iirst bar extending from said inner knob assembly throughsaid retractor and said dogging member and in axial engagement with saiddogging member, a second bar parallel to said Erst bar and extendingfrom said inner knob assembly through said retractor into said doggingmember, means forming latching notches respectively in said iirst barand said second bar receptive of said slide when said bars are movedwith said dogging member into dogging position, said bars beingreciprocatable independently of each other, release cam means associatedwith the notches in said second bar, a release shaft slidably mounted insaid outer knob assembly and in endwise en gagement with said secondbar, and means forming an access hole in said outer knob assembly, saidrelease shaft being movable axially with said second bar and the cammeans thereon to move said latching slide out of engagement with saidlatching notches in said first bar, said latching slide being subject tomovement by said retractor whereby to elect return of said slide toinitial position independently of movement of said release shaft.

4. In a door lock having a stationary portion for mounting in a door areciprocating latch bolt assembly, a retractor in operable engagementwith the latch bolt assembly, and an inner and an outer knob assemblyfor independently actuating the retractor, a dogging member having anaxially -slidable mounting in the outer knob assembly between a doggingengagement with said stationary portion and a released position, guidemeans on said dogging member having an axially slidable and nonrotatableengagement with said outer knob assembly, a spring return means betweensaid outer knob assembly and the dogging member, a latching slide havinga transversely slidable mounting in said retractor normally springpressed into said retractor, a iirst bar extending from said inner knobassembly through said retractor into said dogging member and in axialengagement with said dogging member, a second bar parallel to said firstbar and extending trorn said inner knob assembly through said retractorinto said dogging member, means forming latching notches respectively insaid rst bar and said second bar receptive of said slide when said barsare moved with said dogging member into dogging position, said secondbar being reeiprocatable independently of said iirst bar, release cammeans associated with the notches in said second bar, a release `shaftslidably mounted in said outer knob assembly and said dogging member andin endwise engagement with said second bar, and means forming an accesshole in said outer knob assembly, said release shaft being movableaxially with said second bar and the cam means thereon to move saidlatching slide out of engagement with said latching notches in saidiirst bar.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNlTED STATES PATENTS2,293,856 Schlage Aug. 25, 1942 2,299,180 Schlage Oct. 20, 19422,759,352 Fisler Aug. 21, 1956 2,864,328 Butter Aug. 27, 1957 2,828,152Unetic et al. Mar. 25, 1958

